W's Wisdom...

[flufhed]

Look out people...he's coming to drill in your backyard...

Bush looks offshore for oil remedy
President urges Congress to lift offshore drilling ban

The Associated Press
updated 4:22 p.m. ET, Wed., June. 18, 2008

WASHINGTON - With gasoline topping $4 a gallon, President Bush urged Congress on Wednesday to lift its long-standing ban on offshore oil and gas drilling, saying the United States needs to increase its energy production. Democrats quickly rejected the idea.

"There is no excuse for delay," the president said in a statement in the Rose Garden. With the presidential election just months away, Bush made a pointed attack on Democrats, accusing them of obstructing his energy proposals and blaming them for high gasoline costs. His proposal echoed a call by Republican presidential candidate John McCain to open the Continental Shelf for exploration

"Families across the country are looking to Washington for a response," Bush said.

Congressional Democrats were quick to reject the push for lifting the drilling moratorium, saying oil companies already have 68 million acres offshore waters under lease that are not being developed.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Bush's proposals "another page from (an)... energy policy that was literally written by the oil industry — give away more public resources."

Sen. Barack Obama, the Democrats' presumptive presidential nominee, rejected lifting the drilling moratorium that has been supported by a succession of presidents for nearly two decades.

"This is not something that's going to give consumers short-term relief and it is not a long-term solution to our problems with fossil fuels generally and oil in particular," said Obama. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, lumping Bush with McCain, accused them of staging a "cynical campaign ploy" that won't help lower energy prices.

"Despite what President Bush, John McCain and their friends in the oil industry claim, we cannot drill our way out of this problem," Reid said. "The math is simple: America has just three percent of the world's oil reserves, but Americans use a quarter of its oil."

White House spokesman Tony Fratto retorted: "Anyone out there saying that something can be done overnight, or in a matter of months, to deal with high gasoline prices is trying to fool people. There is no tool in the toolbox out there that will lower gas prices overnight, or in weeks, or probably not even in months."

Bush said offshore drilling could yield up to 18 billion barrels of oil over time, although it would take years for production to start. Bush also said offshore drilling would take pressure off prices over time.

There are two prohibitions on offshore drilling, one imposed by Congress and another by executive order signed by Bush's father in 1990. Bush's brother, Jeb, fiercely opposed offshore drilling when he was governor of Florida. What the president now proposes would rescind his father's decision — but the president took the position that Congress has to act first and then he would follow behind.

Asked why Bush doesn't act first and lift the ban, Keith Hennessey, the director of the president's economic council, said: "He thinks that probably the most productive way to work with this Congress is to try to do it in tandem."


Before Bush spoke, the House Appropriations Committee postponed a vote it had scheduled for Wednesday on legislation doing the opposite of what the president asked — extending Congress' ban on offshore drilling. Lawmakers said they wanted to focus on a disaster relief bill for the battered Midwest.

Bush also proposed opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling, lifting restrictions on oil shale leasing in the Green River Basin of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming and easing the regulatory process to expand oil refining capacity.


With Americans deeply pessimistic about the economy, Bush tried to put on the onus on Congress. He acknowledged that his new proposals would take years to have a full effect, hardly the type of news that will help drivers at the gas stations now. The White House says no quick fix exists.

Still, Bush said Congress was obstructing progress — and directly contributing to consumers' pain at the pump.

"I know the Democratic leaders have opposed some of these policies in the past," Bush said. "Now that their opposition has helped drive gas prices to record levels, I ask them to reconsider their positions."

Bush said that if congressional leaders head home for their July 4 recess without taking action, they will need to explain why "$4 a gallon gasoline is not enough incentive for them to act. And Americans will rightly ask how high gas prices have to rise before the Democratic-controlled Congress will do something about it."

Bush said restrictions on offshore drilling have become "outdated and counterproductive."

In a nod to the environmental arguments against drilling, Bush said technology has come a long way. These days, he said, oil exploration off the coastline can be done in a way that "is out of sight, protects coral reefs and habitats, and protects against oil spills."

Congressional Democrats, joined by some GOP lawmakers from coastal states, have opposed lifting the prohibition that has barred energy companies from waters along both the East and West coasts and in the eastern Gulf of Mexico for 27 years.


On Monday, McCain made lifting the federal ban on offshore oil and gas development a key part of his energy plan. McCain said states should be allowed to pursue energy exploration in waters near their coasts and get some of the royalty revenue.

Obama retorted that the Arizona senator had flip-flopped on that issue.


URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25241280/

[flufhed]

Gotta pass out all...leaving you with Thursday's laugh from the (un)loveable W...

"That's George Washington, the first president, of course.  The interesting thing about him is that I read three - three or four books about him last year.  Isn't that interesting?"

Showing German newspaper reporter Kai Diekmann the Oval Office; May 5th, 2006

[khalpin]

"That's George Washington, the first president, of course.  The interesting thing about him is that I read three - three or four books about him last year.  Isn't that interesting?"

:lol:

[sls.stormyrider]

"That's George Washington, the first president, of course.  The interesting thing about him is that I read three - three or four books about him last year.  Isn't that interesting?"

:lol:

Marvel comics Presidential series

[flufhed]

AP-Ipsos Poll: Most say U.S. on wrong track
Just 17 percent believe country is on the right track
updated 6:52 p.m. ET, Thurs., June. 19, 2008

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans who believe the country is moving in the wrong direction has risen sharply, to nearly eight in ten, amid soaring food and gas prices, falling home values and unending war. Just 17 percent say the country is going in the right direction, according to an AP-Ipsos poll.

The right-direction number is the lowest ever recorded by the survey, which began in 2003. When other surveys are taken into account, the general level of pessimism is the worst in almost 30 years.

And it is getting worse. The 17 percent positive reading was down from 24 percent just since April.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25271602/

That might be one of the saddest and most pathetic things I have ever seen...   

[flufhed]

It's FRIDAY!  Here anyways...  I leave you with one of my all time favorites:

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we.  They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

Washington, D.C.; August 5th, 2004

You go George...

Peace love and all...

[rowjimmy]

AP-Ipsos Poll: Most say U.S. on wrong track
Just 17 percent believe country is on the right track
updated 6:52 p.m. ET, Thurs., June. 19, 2008

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans who believe the country is moving in the wrong direction has risen sharply, to nearly eight in ten, amid soaring food and gas prices, falling home values and unending war. Just 17 percent say the country is going in the right direction, according to an AP-Ipsos poll.

The right-direction number is the lowest ever recorded by the survey, which began in 2003. When other surveys are taken into account, the general level of pessimism is the worst in almost 30 years.

And it is getting worse. The 17 percent positive reading was down from 24 percent just since April.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25271602/

That might be one of the saddest and most pathetic things I have ever seen...   

The saddest thing is that, inspite of what you just showed us, Mr. "Four-More-Years" McCain is running even with Obama in the polls.

[flufhed]

AP-Ipsos Poll: Most say U.S. on wrong track
Just 17 percent believe country is on the right track
updated 6:52 p.m. ET, Thurs., June. 19, 2008

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans who believe the country is moving in the wrong direction has risen sharply, to nearly eight in ten, amid soaring food and gas prices, falling home values and unending war. Just 17 percent say the country is going in the right direction, according to an AP-Ipsos poll.

The right-direction number is the lowest ever recorded by the survey, which began in 2003. When other surveys are taken into account, the general level of pessimism is the worst in almost 30 years.

And it is getting worse. The 17 percent positive reading was down from 24 percent just since April.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25271602/

That might be one of the saddest and most pathetic things I have ever seen...   

The saddest thing is that, inspite of what you just showed us, Mr. "Four-More-Years" McCain is running even with Obama in the polls.

Well cheer up kiddies!  Saw a poll today that Obama got his "post-nomination boost" and leads McCain by double digits.  Still it's a long hard road and I can't wait to see what "swift-boat crap" the repubs pull this time...

Not sure how much I can post this weekend, will be at my girlfriends on a laptop I like to throw...so here's a double-shot for the weekend.

We know he sucks at the english language, but apparently he struggles with space and time as well:

"There's no question that the minute I got elected, the storm clouds on the horizon were getting nearly directly overhead."

-Washington, DC; May 11th, 2001

And if anyone can tell me what the fuck he is trying to say here, I have been trying to figure it out forever:

"There's not going to be enough people in the system to take advantage of people like me."

On the coming Social Security crisis; Wilton, Connecticut; June 9th, 2000

Huh  :?

[flufhed]

No politics on here lately huh  :?  Guess it's the pre-convention lull...or too much talk about band reunions...

Love this one:

"First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers.  Just because you happen to be not rich doesn't mean you're willing to kill."

Washington, D.C.; May 19th, 2003

(I don't mistype these...I swear)

[flufhed]

I read these and want to bash my head into a wall, then I realize they might start to make more sense to me if I did that...

"The way I like to put it is this.  There's no bigger issue for the president to remind the moms and dads of America, if you happen to have a child, be fortunate to have a child."

Washington, D.C.; March 7th, 2001



I always wonder if they start as rational thoughts and then derail somewhere...or if there really is nothing there to begin with.

[sophist]

dude, what the fuck do the last two even mean  :?

I'm so lost when he speaks. 

[ytowndan]

I always wonder if they start as rational thoughts and then derail somewhere...or if there really is nothing there to begin with.

:lol:

God only knows...

[flufhed]

dude, what the fuck do the last two even mean  :?

I'm so lost when he speaks. 

Man, who wouldn't be lost when he speaks?

I wondered when he first took office how he was ever going to be able to communicate effectively with his own staff, I couldn't even think of how lousy he was going to be with other world leaders.

Guess we know how that worked out...

[sophist]

the most fucked up part is some republicans actually think he is still intelligent.  I recite facts and they ignore it, shit drives me nuts. 

[flufhed]

Tell me about it.  If a person can not now see the mess this man is and that he has created for our country, there really isn't a point in talking to them for much longer than it takes to find out they still support him.  You're not going to get through to them, because REALITY can't even get through to them.

Walk away, take a deep breath...and pray they forget to vote this November.